


Complications

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Series: Twins!verse [5]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Baby Fic, Kid Fic, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-15
Updated: 2014-03-15
Packaged: 2018-01-15 21:17:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1319521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Little brothers and complicated questions and more complicated visits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Complications

Alfred had provided the hot cocoa that both his wards seemed to need, watching as Bruce struggled with a severe shake up in his way of thinking while simultaneously trying hard to be supportive.

Dick looked up at Alfred from his mug, "Alfie, remember Bat-Mite?"

"Oh dear." Alfred had cleaned the manor and the Cave too many times from that prankster's idea of 'helping' Batman in his work.

"Yeah, that about covers it," Dick agreed, shaking his head. "Well, he apparently decided he needed to meddle in _my_ life this time."

"Oh? What has he done to interfere, Master Richard?"

"Do you want the quick rip version, or the long story?" Bruce he'd just dumped it on, Alfie he was going to be nicer to.

"Whichever makes it the most clear to an old man's mind," Alfred said fondly.

Dick snorted softly, "You're not old, Alfie." Thinking about Alfred being old was something he shied away from. "I got a call from Roy while I was still at work, telling me to get to the Tower quick as I could. When I got up there, I found him with these two baby cribs -- bassinets, whatever they are -- all plastered with versions of my masks and his arrows, and matching bags of baby-stuff... and two little bitty baby boys in said cribs."

"My word, Master Richard. And this all the doing of the impish Bat-Mite?"

"That's what Dr. Fate said when we asked him to come over and double-check that there wasn't anything weird going on with them."

"A wise precaution. I take it from your arrival here, all is... truthful and real?" Alfred was watching Bruce as the older man digested everything.

"Yeah... They're real, human babies... And as if the symbols weren't enough of a hint, the DNA scanner at the Tower says they're 50/50 matches to me and to Roy."

Alfred did not lose his aplomb at that announcement. "It seems even fifth dimensional beings are aware of the truths of the heart, Master Richard," he said instead. He noted Bruce closing his eyes at that, and wanted to smile, but it just wouldn't be proper.

"Kinda does, doesn't it, Alfie?" Dick agreed with a smile -- and after a glance at Bruce, that smile widened for a minute. "And at least Roy knows what he's doing -- even if Lian wasn't that little when he got her."

"There are resources to help new parents out there. I believe Master Timothy may have such references at hand still."

Bruce nodded. "He would have kept everything, knowing him."

Dick stopped, tipping his head to think about that one for a minute, then nodded, "Oh, yeah, I guess he would -- he might even let me borrow them, once he's through laughing at me."

"I'll be most disappointed in him if he does." Alfred shook his head. "It is not so uncommon to be worried over how one will parent. After all, Master Bruce was most terrified even after he made the decision to bring you into our home."

Bruce coughed and shook his head. "Alfred, I have business to wrap up. Dick... I'll see you tomorrow, at the precinct." He beat a very hasty retreat.

"...He was?" Dick looked after his retreating 'parent' with wide eyes, then back at Alfred, unable to really imagine Bruce being terrified of anything, especially over him.

Alfred launched into the tale of Bruce, the new parent, with relish, glad to finally have the opportunity to share this story. Tim came in close enough to the beginning of it to enjoy the story too, without having the frame of reference for why Alfred was telling it.

Dick was grinning, listening to Alfred, shaking his head at the idea of Bruce being that wound up and unnerved, when he'd seemed to know what he was doing most of the time, and been in control the rest... He waved at Tim when he came in, and went back to drinking his cocoa between laughs.

Tim pouted until a cup was set in front of him, but was laughing softly by the end of the story.

"Wow," was Dick's final comment. "Hey, little bro."

"Hey. Don't you have an early shift tomorrow?" Tim looked puzzled that Dick was home, here, and not in the 'Haven getting an early patrol before sleep for the next shift.

"Yeah... my day got pretty re-arranged though; starting with a call from the Tower, I've been home, the Tower, and here in the last couple of hours..."

Tim cocked his head, and listened as Dick told him the whole story. His eyes went wide a little, but he listened and processed it thoroughly before venturing a comment. "I think this is weirder than even the Witch-Boy's prank."

"...Tell me about it," Dick agreed. "Hey, have you ever _met_ the 'Mite?"

"I don't plan to," Tim said coolly. I have my own problems when it comes to magic, thank you."

"I was just asking, Timmy, 'cause I couldn't remember. I know you've got your own problems there," Dick protested. "Not like I want you to." //Okay, not much...// He sighed, finally over most of the panic, but still so very uncertain. "I don't know what I'm doing here, bro..."

"Would you like the books from when Steph was pregnant? I bought the 'What To Expect The First Year', in case she opted to keep the baby."

"I... yeah, bro, thanks, I would." He reached over and laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, still amazed by what he'd heard about that entire event.

Tim moved and hugged Dick, the one person he truly cared for more than his teammates or friends. "You'll do great. You do tend to think, after all."

"Timmy, I can't even keep plants alive."

Tim laughed hard at that. "A plant can't tell you it is hungry or wet or sick. Believe me... babies do."

"Already seen that one, yeah," Dick rapidly agreed, grinning at watching his brother give in and laugh.

"So... what will you name your sons?"

"..." Dick stared at him, having somehow completely missed even thinking about that part. "Um... good question?"

Tim covered his face in mock disappointment. "Brand new Dad, and you're running around without a name for them..."

"Alfiiee..." Dick, quite sensibly, appealed to the higher power in the room.

"That is a very important part of fatherhood. Names have impact." Alfred looked at his ward kindly. "Your life partner would likely appreciate help choosing them now."

"..Yeah, he probably would... okay, I told Bruce, got that taken care of, going to see him at the precinct tomorrow, told both of you, Dinah's telling Babs... I can go ahead and go back..."

"You got lucky, there." Tim said. "BC's gotta be pretty happy by this to get you off the hook."

"Yeah, I know..."

Tim grinned at him, walking him out while Alfred cleaned up his kitchen.

"I'll catch up with you to get those books sometime tomorrow, if you can find 'em by then?" he asked, teasing.

"I know just where they are." Tim had a mess for a room, because it was expected, but he knew where everything was.

"I just bet. Thanks, bro. See you," he said as he slid into the car to head back for the jet.

Tim watched him go, then just shook his head with a little smile. He really couldn't wait to hear the version that reached YJ through Cassie.

*~*~*

Dick brought the jet back down on the Tower's landing ground and walked out of it, stretching from that much time in the cockpit -- and the hair on the back of his neck tightened, senses telling him he was being watched... //Not. Right. Now.//

After just a moment, the source of the watching emerged, and Slade was there. "Grayson..."

Dick looked at his sometimes-teacher, sometimes-enemy warily, looking for any of the signs that typically meant trouble. He didn't see any, not right this moment, but... "Slade."

"Had a small matter come to my attention you might want to know about... but If you're busy."

"Slade, if you're offering to turn information over, I'm listening." //I'm tired and I need to talk to Roy and -- but what the hell?// 

He'd honestly expected the next time he saw Slade Wilson (now that Rose wasn't in the Tower), to be when the man made an attempt on Kory's life over Addie's death. Or the next time he got himself into serious trouble. Not... just to have him show up and offer intel. Not like this. 

"Care to sit down? You look beat, Kid." Slade was too adept at reading Dick to not see the signs of exhaustion.

"Long day," Dick agreed, nodding slightly. "Sure, let's grab a bench, if this's gonna take a bit."

Slade sat down with cool assurance, and started to relay a piece of information he had about the power structure in Bludhaven. He was keeping an eye on the Kid, and this kind of detail just proved that point.

Dick perched, listening, shaking his head after a while. "Damn, okay. ...What'd she do to annoy you?" he asked curiously. "That'll take me a while to counter... well, Nightwing being down there while Dick Grayson is very definitely not should help me some in the long run, much as Roy's going to kill me."

"Oh? Why won't Bludhaven's finest Officer Grayson be on the job?"

Dick started to answer, stopped, sighed, and twisted to look fully at Slade, weighing telling him now against him finding out later. "Because Bruce Wayne is about to throw a very public fit about his heir slumming it, for one." //Can I trust you with knowing about my kids, Slade, when they're Roy's kids, too?// "Oh, damnit, you'll wind up finding out anyway, might as well just tell you."

"Tell me what? And why is the social mask about to interfere in your life?"

"Ever heard of a creature called Bat-Mite?"

Slade rubbed at his beard. "Once or twice. Supposedly like that creature that annoys the Boy Scout on occasion."

"It decided to meddle, lord only knows why, and I now have twin boys... very young twin boys." He flicked the lenses back from his eyes to look straight at Slade, knowing just how much warning was burning in them, "that I won't put at risk in the 'Haven." //Or let you risk them.// 

"Kid... you're showing more and more why you're smarter than the Bat," Slade said after a moment's thought. "Don't get yourself killed in the 'Haven, you hear?" He stood up, so as not to keep Dick from his responsibilities.

"Not about to," Dick replied, standing up to flick the lenses back over his eyes, knowing Slade'd heard everything he hadn't wanted to put into words -- and, amazingly, wasn't annoyed with him for it.

Slade gripped the young man's shoulder hard, and turned to go. That grip conveyed both pride in Dick's choice, and a subtle warning not to let his costumed life get in the way... like he had done.

He leaned into that grip for a second, then headed down into the Tower, //why today, of all days?//

As Slade left, he pulled his phone out, texting a message back to his source, with a smile on his lips.


End file.
